What is Biodiesel ?

Biodiesel is a clean-burning renewable source of energy, that

is made from vegetable oils, recycled cooking oils, and
animals fats. You can use it in any diesel engine without any
modification of the machine. It can be used in the pure form
called B100. It can also be blended with diesel fuel in any
ratio. B20 is the most commonly used form of the fuel, that
.has 20% blend of biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/biodiesel-facts.html
Facts and Figures
Biodiesel contains no petroleum, and can be mixed with
petroleum diesel in any ratio.
It is very simple to use, non-toxic, free of sulfur, aromatics, and
is biodegradable.
It has shown to have no ill-effects on human health and the
environment.

A study has shown that there has been 78.5% reduction in

carbon dioxide emissions as compared to petroleum diesel
with the use of this alternative source of energy.
It is a renewable source of energy, and can be made as and
when needed.
It is made in America, and hence helps the country become
energy independent, which helps save millions of dollars used
to buy crude oil from foreign countries.
It helps in starting the engine faster, and in the smooth running
of the engine. This helps in reducing the levels of unburned
fuel.
If it gets mixed with a water source, it can harm aquatic and
marine life, because of the vegetable oil.
It is non-flammable, and therefore not as dangerous as
petroleum products for storage and transportation.
It can help in reducing cancer-causing emissions.
It is not only used for running vehicles and machines, but can
also be used as a heating oil in homes, power generation, and
is also an effective cleaner, paint remover, and solvent.
Its production uses less energy than that required for the
production of diesel.
Production of this alternative energy helps in more BTUs per
gallon, as compared to any other type of alternative fuel.
The closed-carbon cycle helps in reduction of the Global
Climate Change.
It is an efficient fuel that shows 100% reduction in sulfur
dioxide, 40 - 60% reduction in soot particles, and 10 - 15%
reduction in carbon monoxide.
Its production gives rise to 96% less hazardous solid wastes,
and uses 79% less water. The consumption of energy is 70 90% less than petroleum diesel.
Sales have increased to around 1.5 billion gallons per year.

About 7.3 pounds of soybean oil is used by one gallon of soy

biodiesel.
About 1.4 gallons is produced from one bushel of soybeans.
These facts prove that this alternative fuel has many benefits,
that are not only pocket-friendly, but environment-friendly too.
Above all, it is a renewable source of energy, and production
requires much less finance as compared to buying petroleum
diesel. Thus, the government has started giving tax benefits to
people using alternative fuel as a source of energy.
It is one of the best types of alternative fuel source. Production
involves use of vegetable oils like rapeseed, soybean oil, or
any animal fat. Thus, the materials are readily available, and
production of these vegetables leads to increase in agricultural
income too. There is less production of harmful gases like
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen
oxides, which contribute to global warming. Thus, reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions has become the aim of the
government, and therefore, there is lot of funding towards the
increase in the use of an alternative source of energy as fuel.
It performs as well as traditional fuel, and even helps in
increasing mileage. Engines last longer with bio-fuels, and
their wear and tear reduces considerably. There is less engine
noise due to higher cetane ignition rating.
Read more at
Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/biodiesel-facts.html

Biodiesel vs Diesel
The data in this article presents to you a comparative analysis
on biodiesel vs diesel by highlighting some basic aspects

which would help you point out the difference between the two
types of fuel sources.
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As the population increases, lifestyle requirements increase
and so does the use of various energy sources. The main
concern is with those sources which are nonrenewable such
as fossil fuels like coal, wood, oil, gas, and minerals like
copper. As the name suggests, these sources of energy
cannot be renewed or reused, and needless to say, the Earth
may not have a lifetime supply of the same. So to keep the
energy store from running out, scientists came up with the
advent of natural and renewable sources of energy. These can
not only be reused, but they pose less or no threat to the
environment and, are biodegradable.
Difference Between Biodiesel and Diesel
The main factor that separates biodiesel from petroleum diesel
is in the source from which these products are derived, and
the manufacturing process behind their production. So
keeping this in mind, here is a brief on how each of these fuels
is produced.
Biodiesel - Its Making
Stuffs such as vegetable oils, recycled cooking oil and animal
fats are the ones which are used in the manufacture of
biodiesel - known as a pollutant-free, clean-burning alternative
to petroleum diesel. The procedure of making biodiesel is a
chemical process which separates glycerin from animal fats or
vegetable oil (mostly, oils derived from soy and corn). For this,

the process requires the use of methanol or ethanol, and a

catalyst such as sodium hydroxide. So once the glycerin gets
separated, it leaves behind what is known as methyl ester
(chemical name for biodiesel). Now, the byproduct, that is
glycerin is used in manufacture of soap, and other products.
And in addition, the chemicals and catalyst that were used in
the chemical process, can also be recovered and reused. So
you see, the whole concept of biodiesel is about reusing, and
recycling resources.
Petroleum Diesel - Its Making
Diesel, needless to say, is a nonrenewable source of energy,
and the most common source of fuel for almost all types of
diesel operated vehicles and other machinery. Also known as
petroleum diesel, it is obtained by treating crude oil through
the process of separation, conversion and purification. This
whole process is carried out at a refinery.
Under the separation procedure, the crude oil is put through a
process known as fractional distillation. This is carried out in a
fractional distillation column, which is exposed to a specific
temperature. Now, the different compounds in the crude oil get
separated from each other depending upon their respective
boiling points. Those having a high boiling point get settled
below the column, while those with low boiling point, remain at
the top. In this way, the crude oil is distilled into propane gas,
gasoline, diesel fuel and lubricating oil.
Since the distillation procedure does not produce enough
diesel fuel, the conversion process is required for breaking
heavier fractions of the crude oil thus, producing more of this
fuel.

And the last step involves purification of the product obtained.

Here, excess sulfur is gotten rid of reacting the diesel with
catalyst and exposing it to hydrogen under controlled
conditions.
Comparison Between Diesel and Biodiesel
Having discussed the most important aspect on biodiesel vs
diesel, here are a few more points of differences between.
Biodiesel Petroleum Diesel
The combustion of this fuel is 75% cleaner than petroleum
diesel. This fuel is one of the major air pollutants in the world,
thus, is associated with medical ailments of the heart and
lungs.
Carbon dioxide emission is appreciably lower (about 78%
less) thus, is a major contributing factor in the management of
global warming. And whatever amount of this gas gets
released does not add to the level of the same in the
atmosphere. Needless to say, petroleum diesel is a fossil fuel
thus, burning it release a significant amount of carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere thus, contributing to the increase in global
warming.
This fuel has a certain solvent that helps in cleaning off
deposits of petroleum diesel from the tank walls and pipes
thus, serving as a super-lubrication agent. Also, its
combustion leaves fewer particulate deposits behind. This
may extend the lifetime of engines. Petro-diesel does not
possess such properties
Engines that run on this fuel not only start easily, but run better
with cleaner emissions. This is because of the fuel's higher

cetane number, which means more oxygen. This one has a

lower cetane number thus is less efficient.
It produces lesser soot (particulate matter), carbon monoxide,
unburned hydrocarbons, and sulfur dioxide. Diesel is known
for its high-sulfur emissions, which are extremely harmful for
the environment.
The Environmental Protection Agency regards this fuel as
non-toxic, and biodegradable. This fossil fuel is not. So when it
mixes with water or soil, it causes pollution.
This less polluting-fuel is also helpful in removing crude oil
from water, such as in the case of shorelines that get soiled
with crude oil With petro-diesel, there is no such scope.
Older diesel vehicles, especially those made before 1992, may
encounter some problems with higher concentrations of
biodiesel. The fuel can jam the fuel filter, and damage rubber
components. It does not give rise to any such problems
The distribution of this fuel is not widespread. If we speak of
the United States, then there are 19 National Biodiesel Board,
which supply this fuel. Diesel is available in all fuel stations.
Biodiesel is not only environment friendly, but is highly
economical as well. This is because, it does not incur any
import costs. Diesel is an imported product thus, is one of the
major reasons of inflation in the country.
Biodiesel is more expensive than diesel. One of the reasons
behind this is soybean, which is the most common source of
biodiesel. Soybean is only 20% oil and this makes the
production of biodiesel costlier. However, if we leave out the
cost part, then petroleum diesel does not provide the same
level of energy conservation, environmental benefits,
economic benefits, and energy security that biodiesel does.

Read more at
Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/biodiesel-vs-diesel.html
Biodiesel Fuel Pros and Cons
Biodiesel is considered one of the best alternative fuels
available today. In fact, it is expected to replace fossil fuels in
the near future. Join us as we assess its pros and cons to see
whether it is really as efficient as it is believed to be.
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The term 'biodiesel' refers to the fuel extracted from animal
fats and plant matter, which is used to operate standard diesel
engines. Though it's possible to produce it from animal fat, it is
usually produced from plant oil. Popular crops used in this
process include soybean, canola, cottonseed, peanut, and
sunflower. Owing to the fact that it is biodegradable and
pollution free, biodiesel is widely believed to be the answer to
our dependence on fossil fuels. Though it seems promising,
only the evaluation of its pros and cons can help us determine
whether these claims really hold ground.
Pros and Cons of Biodiesel
Like its other counterparts, biodiesel also has its own
advantages and disadvantages. That it can play a significant
role in reducing harmful emissions is by far its biggest
advantage. However, there do exist some drawbacks which
may become a hindrance in its introduction as an alternative to
the harmful carbon-emitting fossil fuels.
Advantages

Biodiesel is non-toxic and biodegradable, which makes it one

of the most environment-friendly alternatives of power
generation. A study at the United States Department of
Energy revealed that introduction of biodiesel can reduce
carbon dioxide emissions caused by burning fossil fuels by 75
percent. This fuel doesn't contain toxic chemicals like sulfur,
which are responsible for harmful emissions. In fact, hazards
like acid rain can be eliminated forever by introducing biodiesel
for our day-to-day use.
You don't even have to modify the engine, as this fuel can
easily operate a standard diesel engine. It can also double up
as a lubricant and help in lubricating various parts of the
engine, thus making it less vulnerable to wear and tear. It is
much safer than conventional diesel. More importantly, for a
country like the United States, which is largely dependent on
oil imports, tapping the resources available within the country
can help in boosting the economic strength to a great extent.
Disadvantages
The energy content of biodiesel is 11 percent less than that of
petroleum-based diesel, which means the power generation
capacity of an engine will decline considerably when it is used.
It is possible to modify the engine to eliminate this loss of
power, but this modification goes against the EPA guidelines
and hence, cannot be executed. Owing to its poor oxidization
qualities, biodiesel can lead to some serious problems when
stored. When stored for long periods, biodiesel turns to a gellike substance which may clog various parts of the engine.
Biofuels can also lead to microbial growth and thus, cause
some damage to the engine. As the use of this fuel will

increase, more and more crops will have to be produced to

fulfill the demand. This will lead to severe crisis, wherein we
will have to choose between food and fuel. The prices of
various agricultural commodities will also soar. Due to over
farming, the soil quality will start depreciating and creating
new areas to produce these crops will lead to destruction of
natural habitat.
We need to take all these pros and cons into consideration
before coming to any conclusion. There do exist some issues
with the use of biodiesel, but researchers from all over the
world are working on these issues to make it more efficient. As
of now, we can just hope that their research yields results and
we get the best fuel as soon as possible.
Read more at
Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/biodiesel-fuel-prosand-cons.html
How to Make Biodiesel at Home
It is time to switch on to alternative sources of energy, in order
to save the precious fossil fuels and decrease the level of
pollution caused by the latter. This Buzzle article provides you
with essential information regarding the procedure to make
biodiesel, all by yourself at home.
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Did You Know?
Biodiesel can be made from a variety of sources apart from
waste or soybean vegetable oil. The examples of such
sources include making this fuel from Jatropha seeds, algae,
fungi, hydrogen-powered fuel cells, ground coffee powder, and

animal fat.
Switch on the news on TV, open the newspapers, or browse
the netone of the hottest topics being discussed is the
adverse effects of pollution on the environment, people, and
animals. From smog to acid rain, and global warming to
respiratory diseases, fossil fuels are the main culprit. However,
there is a clean and viable alternative fuel sourcebiodiesel. If
people learn how to make it by themselves, not only can they
have all the energy they need, but also not harm their health
and the environment. Apart from being safe, this type of fuel is
also a cheaper alternative. Plus, it is one of the best ways to
lessen our dependency on foreign oil.
What is Biodiesel Fuel?
It is a vegetable oil-based fuel, which can be used to run an
unmodified engine, whether it is a truck, boat, bus, or car.
While it is usually derived from canola oil, recycled fryer oil can
also be used to make it. It can be used in its pure form, or
even mixed with regular diesel. According to many
environmentalists, this is the fuel of the future. Biodiesel is one
of the alternative fuels that has been tested the most
thoroughly, and the accompanying results have shown that
while this type of fuel performs just as well as petroleum
diesel, it is a far more environment-friendly than the latter type.
Making Biodiesel at Home
Essentially, biodiesel is derived by a chemical process known
as transesterification. This basically involves the replacement
of the glycerol component of the oil being used with an
alcohol, which is done in the presence of a catalyst. Although

it may sound complicated, making biodiesel at home is quite a

simple process. Farms all over the world have been using it for
several generations; it is only becoming popular in the
mainstream because of the increasing need felt for finding
viable alternatives to fossil fuels. By using easily available
ingredients, simple tools, and uncomplicated techniques, one
can make it at home, thus, reaping the fuel cost-cutting
benefits of its production.
Method 1
This technique is useful for those who want to produce
biodiesel at home in a large quantity. It is a bit complicated
and requires one to take many safety precautions.

Things Required
A large bucket
A big bag for filtering the oil
Catalyst like sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide (the
latter is better)
Methanol, waste, or new vegetable oil
Processor for heating and mixing
Isopropyl alcohol
Measuring cylinders
Titration apparatus (burette, pipette, conical flask, beaker, etc.)
Phenolphthalein indicator
Distilled water (DW)
Respirators that are chemically resistant
Long-sleeved gloves
Eye protection like safety goggles, etc.

Procedure
1. Firstly, you need to filter the oil before starting with any kind
of complicated process. For this, a simple way is to hang a
porous bag onto a pole, and keep a large bucket below it. The
oil is poured into these bags and gets filtered, accumulating in
the bucket below.
2. After you have collected a substantial amount of oil in the
bucket (say about 20 liters), take some in a beaker as a
sample for titration, which is the next step in this process.
3. As the oil is used in bulk quantity, it is important to find out
the amount of catalyst to be added. A wide deviation from the
actual amount can cause the reaction to get spoiled. For this,
an oil sample is tested for measuring its acidity or the amount
of fatty acids present in it by a reaction with sodium hydroxide.
4. Mix 1 ml of lye with 1,000 ml of DW. This gives 0.1 molar
NaOH. Fill this lye in the burette, and remove the air pockets.
5. Now, mix about 5 ml of vegetable oil with about 25 ml of
methanol in a conical flask with the help of a pipette, and add
a couple of drops of phenolphthalein to this mixture. Titrate it
against the NaOH solution from the burette, and keep swirling
till the mixture in the flask turns faint pink. At this point, the
acid in the oil has been neutralized, and the reaction is
complete.
6. Note down the reading of the amount of lye used, and find
out the required quantity of this compound with the help of the
following formula:
Number of Moles (N) = Volume (V) x Molarity (M)
For example, if neutralizing 25 ml oil with methanol requires
about 5 ml of lye (0.1 molarity), then the concentration of the
latter would be:

No. of moles (NaOH) = 25 x 0.1 = 0.25 moles

This provides us with a rough idea of the amount of chemicals
required for making the biodiesel.
7. After this, the filtered oil is taken and added to the biodiesel
processor. You can use a large amount of oil (about 5 gallons)
using this method to prepare an equivalent amount of biofuel.
8. Heat it till about 150F, and let it cool down for some time. In
a separate container in the processor, the methanol and lye
solutions are mixed, thus, forming the catalyst.
9. Using the appropriate connections, this mixture is added to
the vegetable oil, starting the reaction that takes place at least
a couple of days to be completed. During this time, periodically
rotate the closed container for efficient mixing of the oil with a
catalyst.
10. After the addition is done, leave the container undisturbed
for a few days. A dark glycerin layer will start emerging at the
bottom, leaving a cloudy brown-colored liquid above it, which
is the biodiesel. It will appear if left undisturbed for more time.
11. This fuel is then extracted by careful separation with the
help of suction pumps and other such methods. It is still dark
and cloudy, and hence, needs a bit of washing with distilled
water.
12. For this, put it in the rotating container, and add water with
the ratio500 ml of water for 1 liter of biofuel. Very gently,
rotate the container for about a minute or so, and stop the
process. The water will get separated from the oil, removing
the impurities with it, and will appear brown-colored and
muddy.
13. Collect the filtered oil, and repeat the process until a clear
layer of water is obtained. This is the quality of biodiesel that is

required to be obtained, wherein it can be used for your

vehicle.
Method 2

Things Required
Vegetable oil (preferably soybean oil)
A vessel for making the fuel
A settling tank
Filtering system
95% pure sulfuric acid
99% pure methanol
Prepared mixture of methoxide
Measuring cylinders, beakers, and pipettes.
Procedure
1. Filter the oil in order to get rid of all the particulate matter,
like bits of fried food leftovers. Use a number of filtering
screens. If you want to avoid this step of the process, you can
just buy unused oil.
2. Heat the oil up to about 60C for about 15 minutes, in order
to remove any water that might be present in it.
3. Then, put the oil in a settling tank, and let it stand out for 24
hours to allow it to separate. Either drain out the water from
the top or from below.
4. Next, the oil should be measured precisely and heated until
all the solids melt. It is important to measure it correctly so that
the other ingredients that are added are also in proper
proportions.
5. Then, using a ratio of 8% to the total amount of oil, add
methanol that is at least 99% pure. The higher the purity of the

methanol, the better.

6. Keep blending the methanol in the oil for about five minutes.
At this stage of the procedure, the mixture of oil and methanol
will look cloudy.
7. Next, for every 1 liter of oil, add 1 ml of 95% pure sulfuric
acid. Remember to be very careful by taking every safety
precaution possible while handling sulfuric acid because it can
be extremely dangerous. Heat this mixture up to 35C, and
keep stirring it.
8. Then, remove it from the source of heat, and keep stirring it
gently for 2 more hours. Let it rest for about 8 hours. If you find
that any of the mixture has solidified while it had been resting,
reheat it lightly.
9. Put half of the 12% volume of methoxide mixture into it, stir
for 5 minutes, and let the oil settle down. The cloudy layer will
start becoming clear, and this is the biodiesel portion of the
mixture that will separate from the glycerin. The latter forms a
darker portion at the top, while the biofuel forms the lightcolored brownish layer at the top.
10. The next step is called washing, wherein this fuel is filtered
many times with water and other filtering equipment so that
the impurities are removed, resulting in a clean biodiesel.
Then, it can be blended with petroleum diesel too in
appropriate proportions, and finally used for the vehicle.
Method 3

Things Required
This is a very simple procedure to make biodiesel and requires
easily available equipment.

A bottle of vegetable oil (used or new)

Sodium hydroxide or lye
Methanol
Funnel
Stove or any heating equipment
Glass container
Non-aluminum lid
Safety goggles or eyewear
Hand gloves with long sleeves
Digital scale to accurately measure the weights
Respirator
Make sure that the place where you are undertaking this
procedure has a good source of ventilation.
Procedure
1. Firstly, in the glass container, take about 300 ml of
methanol. Add about 2 tsp. of sodium hydroxide or lye to this
alcohol in the container.
2. Now, you have to make sure that the lye solution completely
dissolves in this mixture; for this activity, use a stirrer to swirl
the mixture. Fix the non-aluminum cap over the container, and
keep this mixture aside. The alternative to this is to mix the
methanol and sodium hydroxide in a blender.
3. Now, take the vegetable oil in a metal container by using a
funnel, and heat it till about 150F. Let it cool down a bit, and
pour it in a 3-liter transparent bottle.
4. Now, add the mixture of sodium hydroxide and methanol to
this oil in the bottle using a funnel. Be careful while doing this
step, as both the contents of the mixture are extremely harmful
if they come in contact with the skin and eyes, or even if
inhaled.

5. After the solution is added, tightly seal the bottle, and shake
it for about a minute. Keep the bottle on a flat table, and
observe the change in the vegetable oil density. At the bottom,
a darker layer of glycerol will start forming, separating out from
the above lighter layer of vegetable oil diesel. This happens
because of the replacement reaction, wherein the glycerin
molecule in the oil is substituted by alcohol molecule, thus,
forming the desired fuel. At this point, the diesel will be muddy
or turbid in appearance.
6. Keep the bottle undisturbed for a few days; the fuel will start
to appear clearer as the glycerin layer finally settles down.
7. The biodiesel can be removed by using a funnel, or also
can be separated by using a pipette.
Tips, Safety, and Precautions
Try out this process in a small amount at first, say about 1 liter.
Once you do that, you will know what to look out for when you
handle a larger amount.
The chemicals used in this process are hazardous; hence, you
need to take every precaution before making it at home.
The alkali catalyst used (NaOH or KOH) is caustic in nature,
and can cause extreme irritation if it comes in contact with the
skin and/or the eyes.
Methanol can cause instant blindness, and hence, it is a very
harmful type of alcohol. It can be easily absorbed through the
skin, and can also cause death in extreme circumstances.
When the added catalyst reacts with the oil and methanol
mixture, sodium methoxide gas is generated. The fumes of
this gas are very toxic, acting as a nerve paralyzing agent if
inhaled. Hence, ensure to use an respirator that can block any
unwanted fumes and volatile materials.
Lastly, if you are not confident enough, consult an expert on

this subject.
Though manufacturing biodiesel at home is not a difficult task,
one needs to have patience in order to produce usable
quantities of this fuel. Things can go wrong at any step, and
hence, it will be unlikely that you will get the perfect quality
biofuel at the end. If you follow all the steps correctly and take
all the safety precautions, it will be fairly smooth for you to
produce mass quantities of this type of fuel, which ultimately
will help our planet Earth from an environment-friendly point of
view.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-tomake-biodiesel-making-biodiesel-at-home.html

Definition of Biodiesel Fuel for

Propulsion
Biodiesel is a combustible, viscous liquid consisting of alkyl esters of
fatty acids derived from vegetable oil or cooking grease. This fuel
burns well in some compression-ignition engines designed for
petroleum diesel (and poorly in others).
How It Works
Soybeans constitute the cheapest and most abundant vegetable
source of oil that can be refined to obtain biodiesel fuel. The
extracted oil is processed to remove all traces of water, dirt, and
other contaminants. Free fatty acids are also removed. A
combination of methyl alcohol and a catalyst, usually sodium
hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, breaks the oil molecules apart in
a chemical reaction known asesterification. The resulting
compounds, called esters, are then refined into usable liquid
biodiesel fuel. Figure 7-3 is a simplified flowchart showing this
process.

FIGURE 7-3 Production of biodiesel fuel from soybeans.

Used-up cooking oil and animal fats, which would otherwise
constitute waste matter, can be refined to produce biodiesel fuel.
The process resembles the way biodiesel derives from soybean oil,
but includes additional steps, as shown in the flowchart of Fig. 7-4.
Methyl alcohol and sulfur are used in a process called dilute acid
esterification to obtain a substance resembling fresh vegetable oil,
which is then processed in the same way as soybean oil to obtain
the final product.

FIGURE 7-4 Production of biodiesel fuel from used cooking oil and
animal fat.